Full High Definition Television

How do you tell modern televisions apart? What does it mean to be HD ready? What does it mean to have full HD TV?

Full HD TV – The technical specifications for a full High Definition LCD TV must include a 1080p as its pixel count. The contrast ratio will be listed as 1920 by 1080p. This 1080p designation signals that a television set can fully and completely broadcast the highest level of high definition broadcasting without reducing it to a smaller pixel count. If you play a high definition DVD or blu-ray disk, a full HD LCD TV can claim the best possible LCD picture. In the same manner, if you check the technical specifications for a full High Definition plasma set, you will also find a pixel count of 1080p. The contrast ratio will be listed as 1920 by 1080p. Again, this is the only way to ensure a true high definition picture without loss of pixel count.

High definition DVDs and their competitors, blu-ray disks, can be shown on full HD plasma sets without changing the original contrast rations.

HD Ready – HD ready capability exists in sets with a pixel rate of 728i or 1080i. Each set includes a built-in high definition tuner for displaying broadcasts with higher pixel ratings. LCDs and Plasmas have fixed-pixel displays that use pixels to display television images. If the number of pixels is 728, then it has 728 pixels per vertical inch. If the number is 1080, then it has 1080 pixels per vertical inch. Images increase in detail as the pixel number rises.

Set Sizes – HD ready and full HD LCD TV sets can come in smaller sizes. LCD sets actually come in small sizes such as 10 inches. Sizes used to stop as a 42 inch TV but now are as large as 60 inches. HD ready and full HD plasma sets come in 50 or 60 inch sizes usually. It is possible now to get a 42 inch TV plasma set from some manufacturers. Keep in mind that similar size does not mean the same picture quality.

HD Sets – High definition television is broadcast in widescreen, also known as the 16 inch by 9 inch ratio. Analog television was always broadcast in 4:3 ratio. Whether they are HD ready or full HD LCD TV sets, LCDs will all come with wider screens. For full HD plasma sets, these sets will be wider than analog sets, but of course HD ready plasmas are also wider. Width is not an indication of HD quality, simply of HD capability.

HDTV Converters – High Definition TV converters can be used with analog televisions, also known as CRTs or crystal ray cathode sets. These HDTV converters are digital tuners that adjust for the switch-over to digital broadcasting. With an High Definition TV converter, an analog set can deliver superior pictures to its analog ones. An HDTV converter is essential to receive signals on analog sets now that almost all signals are digital.

HDTV Online – High Definition TV online is accomplished through the pixel rate on your computer screen. It may or may not be high enough to deliver true HDTV. To find out if HDTV online is true full high definition, you should compare your pixel count and resolution to 1920 by 1080p. If it is lower, it is not full HD as compared to full HD LCD TVs and full HD plasma sets.